Effect of starch on property of silk fibroin/keratin blend films

Abstract

This work was aimed to study the effect of starch on silk fibroin (SF)/keratin (K) blend films properties. The SF and K solutions were mixed with starch, homogeneously stirred and poured into polystyrene culture plates. The mixture solution was then dried in an oven at 40°C for 3 days. The films were then investigated for their morphology, secondary structure and thermal properties by using scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier transform-infrared (FT-IR) spectrophotometer, Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The results found that each film had different patterns of surfaces depending on ratio used. The structure of almost films co-existed with random coil and a-helix structures which resulted to increase the flexibility and of film. The structure of the films changed to β-sheet after blending between SF and K according to H-bond formation and increased thermal stability of the films. This result indicated that starch helped to decrease the crystalline structure of the film which increased their flexibility.